Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

[Jacko]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

Magic,
I use to ride the train with my granfather to St. Mary. We would catch the train at Darling Street a parade, I think the cars were about 7-10 it depends on the traffic and I remember clearly the guys would ride on top of the train..just dare devils I guess. Oh course you had the vendor come on and sell peanuts etc. I know it's not a lot of info but good luck.

[Gen]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

sinco

your post gave me goosebumps...my parents let us (my brother and I) take the train..maybe 3-4 times (with a chaperone)

my grandmother lived in PA...snow hill...and I think there was a stop in Snow Hill...because we would get off ...and walk up a narrow lane to her house....which is on the main road from snow hill to PA ..or from snow hill to the first bay...

I loved that train ride...we would catch it at spanish town and take it going to PA...I remember the tunnels...sitting on the train...the vendors on the train...I looked forward to all the stops and looking out the window at all the little towns and people (i know this is where my love for travel originated).....

the best part was when we got to the coast...and could see the beautiful sea...oh my...going over the bridge by the Rio Grande....WOW......

we would spend most of the summer with my grandmother going all over...from buff bay, annoto bay ...all the bays...sitting on the sea wall in PA...

I don't really have specifics on fares, cars etc...just memories....

[RichD]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

i used to take the train from williams feild to kingston and to montego bay. never went ont he portland line.

I recallthatrre were tow trains..the egular train with freight cars and a few passenger cars and what we called the "Diesel" which was a two(or three) car commuter train (no traditional locomotive) - that the one we took. seems to me the trip to kingston from williamfeild took about 4 hours with many stops the trip to montego bay was much longer.
the had a regular class and a first class (padded seats) and I recall it always being quite crowded....


mek me go tr remeber little more...soon come

[Gen]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

RichD

now that you mention the term "diesel"..it jogged my memory and I remember my grandmother using that term..

I remember the seats that I was sitting on was wooden..perhaps made of real wood...I was probably between 8-10....

I am going to call my mother tonite and ask her about the specifics ...see if she can remember...

[Sinco01]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

Geneve, you are right.

The older cars pulled by the steam engines were mostly wooden. (see MissB picture)
And yes those seats were wooden.

But that scenery ..taking in the "Bays" with the sea on your lef mountains, banana plantations, and coconut trees on your right, were some of the most beautiful anywhere.

Thanks for the reminder RichD...the Desiels were mostly gas/deisel/petrol engines. These were a little more modern looking and did not make as much noise as the steam engines.
Better seating too.

[Magician]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

Thanks J-Kid, Ms Jacko, Geneva, RichD. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Found some good websites,(after weeding out all the links to Railroads in Jamaica Queens [img]/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] even some old maps from the 1800's that show where all the track was.
And got the good laugh out of the Ministry of Transport and Works website that claims Highway 2000 (my main competition for the train service) is going to reach all the way to Mandeville by 2008! Yeah right.


Gonna take a break from the research cause my eyes hurt, get some patties from Hammonds, and then start writing.

Keep all your info and memories coming. The first will help with the report, the latter is nice to read and reminisce. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Guest]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

I have a lot of information, but it's very long so let me know if you want me to post the rest of it.

In 1845 The Jamaica Railway, then under a private company, was opened for traffic. The line ran from Kingston to a place called Angels, nearly fifteen miles away.


Source

In 1869 The Railway (then owned by a private company) was extended to Old Harbour.

In 1879 The Jamaica Railway was purchased by the Government from the company that owned it.

In 1885 The Railway was extended to Porus and to Ewarton by the Government.

In 1890 the Legislative Council sold the Jamaica Railway to an American Syndicate for $500,000 in cash, and $3,500,000 in second mortgage debentures.

In 1895 the Railway extension to Montego Bay was opened.

In 1896 the Railway extension to Port Antonio was opened. Sir Henry Blake built many bridges and roads in Jamaica. He thus greatly extended the island's means of communication.

In 1907 The Jamaica Railway extended to Clarendon. This Railway had been taken back from the American syndicate in 1900.

In 1925 On March 16, the branch railway from Chapelton to Frankfield was opened. The line was ten miles long.

Source

[Magician]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

MissB

Thanks. Whatever is easier for you. Post or PM or email.

I need some help with TRAIN STOPS.

Let me know if I'm missing any or added some that were never there:

MoBay
Anchovy
Montpelier
Cambridge
Catadupa
Maggoty
Siloah
Balaclava
Williamsfield/Kendal
Porus
May Pen
Old Harbour
Spanish Town
Portmore
Kgn

Spanish Town
Bog Walk
Linstead
Richmond
Highgate
Albany
Annotto Bay
Buff Bay
Hope Bay
Port Antonio

The freight tracks:

Port Keiser to Alpart
Port Esquivel to Old Harbor
Linstead to Ewarton (Alcan)
Stweart Twon to Discovery Bay

genava, where was the Snow Hill stop?????

[Guest]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

I've heard of 39-45 train stops.

Jamaican Railway Office Postmarks

"Railway Office Cancellations " came into general use in 1901 and were available at some 44-45 locations until around 1926. While by the early 1970's most of the Jamaican railway service was closed.

Potter (1996) indentifies 39 such Railway Offices, while earlier writers (Collett et. al., 1928 and Johnson, 1964) note 45 and 44 locations respectively*.

Other Offices noted (Collett et al., 1928) are; "BAGGAGE ROOM", "BERNARD LODGE", "MAY PEN", "NEW WORKS" and "WINDSOR CASTLE SIDING".

Source

APPLETON STATION
Parish: St. Elizabeth
Open date: 1.1.1895

CLARENDON PARK STATION
Clarendon
1.1.1895

FOUR PATHS STATION
Clarendon
1.1.1885

GRANGE LANE STATION
St. Catherine
1.1.1880

HARTLANDS STATION
St. Catherine
1.1.1884

In 1925 March 16, the branch railway from Chapelton to Frankfield

[Guest]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

This one is quite interesting. There's lots more on 19th century JA if you follow the link.

Having satisfied our curiosity in relation to Kingston and its neighborhood, we sallied forth one afternoon towards the Jamaica Railway Station, and were saluted on all sides as usual by the demand, "Massa buccra ride? Massa California buccra take a carriage?" but dogmatically sticking our toes in the sand we sturdily resisted all importunities, and outwalking the blackfeet soon reached the station.

Presenting a quarter eagle at the ticket office, it was refused with the announcement, that American coin was not received. Not disputing the right of the company to its own regulations, we merely reminded the clerk that American gold was at a premium of five per cent. more than sovereigns in Kingston, and requested him to receive our coin as a favor, as the train would depart in two or three minutes, and we had not the time to effect an exchange. Stepping into an adjoining office, he returned with permission of one of the managers to receive it at two dollars, or twenty per cent. less than its actual value in Kingston, and we were obliged to submit to this petty and contemptible imposition, or lose our passage by that train. On our return however at the other station, the clerk there received a similar [p.274] coin at its par value, not having we presume his instructions from Shylock on the subject.
[snip]
After a ride of thirteen miles, we arrived at the fine brick station, or depôt as we call it in our Frenchified affectation. Both the station houses of this road are substantial brick buildings, superior to many in our own country.

Theodore Johnson, Life in California, 1849

[Guest]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

A different Kendal report.

Tragedy at Kendal - 1957

The worst rail disaster in Jamaica's history, and the second worst rail disaster in the world at that time.

On Sunday, September 1, 1957, hundreds of members of the Holy Name Society of St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church boarded a train at the Kingston Railway Station for an all day excursion to Montego Bay under the guidance of their pastor, the Reverend Father Charles Earle.

Also on board were close to 100 known criminals, hooligans and pickpockets. In all the number of passengers totalled 1600 ú an interesting feat given that the limit for each of the 12 cars was 80. The criminals were said to have caused such a ruckus during the trip that a priest declared that the wrath of God had surely descended on them.

Unknown to him, that statement was prophetic. At around 11:30 p.m. on the train's return leg, as the two diesel engines and dozen wooden cars neared the sleeping town of Kendal, Manchester, three shrill whistle blasts signalled the journey's abrupt and tragic end. Within minutes, the train had picked up speed and derailed. Fragments of human bodies were strewn among scores of twisted metal. Close to 200 persons lost their lives, and 700 sustained injuries in what was described as the worst rail disaster in Jamaica's history, and the second worst rail disaster in the world at that time.

Word travelled fast and hundreds flocked to the scene only to be greeted with the sight of corpse after corpse laid out on an embankment, looking, in the words of a survivor, like bundles of dirty clothes.

The cause of the accident was later determined to be the accidental closure of an angled wheel (brake) cock that had been placed incorrectly. Some survivors reported that many of the hooligans had ridden on the platforms and steps and some had tampered with that angle cock while en route to Montego Bay. Others indicated they had seen the wheel in question tightened in Montego Bay. While neither of these accounts could be confirmed, some things were known for sure. The train was overcrowded - there were 130-150 passengers per car. Confidence in the rail service was shaken and much looting and robbing of the dead and injured occurred after the crash. The ensuing investigation found a number of deficiencies among the Jamaica Railway Corporation. Regarding the train in question - the general standard of maintenance of the brake equipment was deemed unsatisfactory. (www.pbfoundation.com)

[Gen]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

magic

the snow hill station would be between hope bay and port antonio (unless they were making illegal stops)...snow hill is right outside of PA....going towards the west of the island...

I say hope bay...because I can't remember where st. margaret's bay is on the map...and most maps that I pull up are not detailed enuff to show anything but hope bay and annotto bay.....

my other grandmother lived in skibo...so she would be able to tell me all the stops on the Portland line...but she is in JA ..and these people are not online enuff to answer my IM and/or they don't check emails as often as I do

okay...I just spoke to my Mom who said that some of the stops were not really stations...but were known as "halts"....snow hill was one of them...

stations/halts she could remember going from PA to Spain town are:

snow hill

st margaret's bay

hope bay

orange bay

spring garden

buff bay

harthill and/or windsor (kinda sketchy)

annotto bay

highgate /high gate ?


riversdale (kinda sketcy which line this was on )

and the ones that I missed closer to spain town..

the halts were probably small districts...I know snow hill was small...didn't really have a town centre or anything...

[britisha]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

Originally posted by Magic:
MissB

Thanks. Whatever is easier for you. Post or PM or email.

I need some help with TRAIN STOPS.

Let me know if I'm missing any or added some that were never there:

I remember when we used to recite the stops in Primary school...I will post what I remember...they will be in bold. Here goes...I notice you started at Mobay going back [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] instead of Kgn...henniways...

MoBay
Anchovy
Montpelier
Cambridge
Catadupa
Ipswich
Maggoty

Siloah......never learnt that as a stop...
Balaclava

Kendal
Williamsfield
Porus
May Pen
Old Harbour

Bushy Park

Hartlands
Spanish Town
Grange Lane
Gregory Park

Portmore[was never a stop...Portmore wasn't created yet...

Kgn


Bog Walk
Linstead
Richmond
Highgate
Albany
Annotto Bay
Buff Bay
Hope Bay
Port Antonio

The freight tracks:

Port Keiser to Alpart
Port Esquivel to Old Harbor
Linstead to Ewarton (Alcan)
Stweart Twon to Discovery Bay

genava, where was the Snow Hill stop?????

If I am not mistaken Inverness was one stop but I can't remember exactly where on the line it was...think it came after Catadupa..

Great thread.

(((Miss B)) thanks for your information...the link provided a lot of help for me as well.

[Magician]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

Thanks geneva again and Britisha.

Ok, here's what I got so far. (all stations)

Kgn.
Gregory Park
Grange Lane
Spanish Town---------->PA line
Hartlands
Bushy Park
Old Harbour
May Pen
Porus
Kendal
Balaclava
Maggoty
Ipswich
Catadupa
Cambridge
Montpelier
Anchovy
MoBay

PA line

Spanish Town
Bog Walk----------->Linstead
Riverdale (halt)
Highgate
Albany
Annotto Bay
Harthill/Windsor Castle (halt)
Buff Bay
Spring Garden (halt)
Orange Bay (halt)
Hope Bay
St. Margaret's Bay (halt)
Snow Hill (halt)
Port Antonio


Just to keep you updated....
Im 2268 words into the report. Time for dinner now!

[carl68ou1]

Re: Anybody memba the TRAIN in JA ???

I used to walk from Independence City (Portmore [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ), to Gregory Park to catch the train to the Kingston terminal (near Pechon Street)...

But I am sure I remember it stopping out at "Zinc Factory"... (Marcus Garvey Drive & The Causeway)

The fare was 'bout 25 cent at the time, I think...